Multiple-compartment receptacle



Dec. 19, 1967 E. B. SCHOONMAKER MULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1965 EDWARD B- SCHOONMAKER INVENTOR. BY M TTORNEY AND AGENT Dec. 19, 1967 E. B. SCHOONMAKER MULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT RECEPTACLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 6, 1965 United States Patent 3,359,049 MULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT RECEPTACLE Edward B. Schoonmaker, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 6, 1965, Ser. No. 453,773 7 Claims. (Cl. 312-111) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A multiple-compartment receptacle for elongated strip holders which receptacle lends itself to modular structure and includes means within each compartment for frictionally engaging and retaining holders inserted therein.

The present invention relates to a multiple-compartment receptacle and more particularly to such a receptacle or file which lends itself to a modular structure and includes means within each compartment for frictionally engaging and retaining an article inserted into any one of the compartments.

The prior art discloses that receptacles or files having aplurality of compartments are well known. It is also known to form such files by means of modular elements to make a unit of any desired size. In such units wherein an article or a drawer is movable relative to its compartment, none is known in which means is provided for engaging an article upon insertion into or withdrawal from its respective compartment, so as to produce a frictional drag. Without such a drag, rebound of the article or drawer can occur when the latter is inserted into any one of the compartments with an undue force. In addition, the lack of such drag permits the article or drawer to fall or slide outwardly, if the receptacle is accidently tipped or jarred, unless a positive locking means is provided as in large file drawer units.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a multiple-compartment receptacle for articles in which free movement of the article in its respective compartment is frictionally restrained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple-compartment receptacle of a modular type in which each module has a portion thereof that co-operates with a similar portion of an adjoining module to provide means for frictionally engaging an article inserted in any one of the compartments.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a multiple-compartment receptacle which can be readily fabricated and in which the number of compartments can be readily varied.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of tray modules which are readily assembled to provide a multiple-compartment receptacle which is rigid, sturdy and light in weight.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art by the description which follows.

In the field of microphotography, a plurality of images are exposed on a film strip which, after being processed, can be cut into fixed lengths and a plurality of such lengths are then slidably mounted within a holder or stick. Such a holder contains strips of film bearing related information and has a finger portion at one end which is provided with indicia to identify the film strips, thereby facilitating the location of the holder and its retrieval from a file. In a multiple-compartment receptacle or file for such a hold er, means must be provided to prevent their being inserted into a compartment with undue force. It has been found that if such means is not provided, the holder rebounds so that it is not wholly within the compartment, or the film strips may be jarred loose from the holder, thereby necessitating their retrieval from the compartment and replacement in the holder.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and presents a structure having many advantages in that each module used to form a multiplecompartment receptacle is identical, with the exception of a cap member. The receptacle devised for the purpose described above comprises a plurality of tray modules or members, each of which has a continuous wall on three sides thereof and a plurality of parallel partitions extending from a rear wall to a front edge of the tray module. Each tray module is provided with a transverse depression and a transverse ridge, each of which intersects the compartments formed by the partitions. A plurality of such tray modules are stacked one on the other with a cap member, which also has a transverse depression, being mounted on the uppermost tray module. This modular structure or unit provides a multiple-compartment receptacle, and the depressions and ridges in each compartment co-operate to provide means for frictionally engaging an article inserted therein which is described in more detail hereinafter. It will be evident the structure of the receptacle readily lends itself to fabrication, to variation in size, and to fulfilling a requirement not heretofore attainable in known receptacles.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters and numerals designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view showing a number of tray modules or members and a cap member arranged in an assembled relation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a holder for film strips that can be accommodated by the receptacle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view partially in section showing the modular structure of a unit and the arrangement for securing and holding the unit in an assembled relation;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a tray module or member;

FIG. 5 is a partial end view of the tray module or member shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom view of the tray module or member showing means for locking two units together when one is positioned on the other; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a cap member for completing a modular structure.

With particular reference to FIG. 1, a multiple-compartment receptacle or file is generally designated by the number 10 and comprises a plurality of tray modules or members 11 and a cap member 12 which are stacked on one another in contiguous relation to form a plurality of compartments 13 for receiving a holder 14, such as that shown in FIG. 2.

The holder 14, for example, can be a plastic member having a channel portion 15 in which a plurality of film strips are retained by a pin or button 16 that can be an integral part of the holder or separate therefrom and over which a hole in one end of one or more film strips can be snapped. The holder is provided at one end with a finger piece 17 which is used to grasp the holder for insertion into and withdrawal from any one of the compartments. The holder can take various forms and the size of the compartments 13 is such as to accommodate a particular holder or any other form of article to be stored. For this reason, the height of a compartment must be greater than one dimension, for example, the thickness of the holder; and the width of the compartment must be greater than a second dimension, for example, the width of the holder. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the length of the compartments 13 is less than that of the holder 14. The finger piece 17 therefore extends beyond the open end of its compartment so as to be in a position to be readily grasped for removal therefrom, as well as to permit the indicia on an end surface 18 to be positioned so that it can be easily read. The dimensions of the compartments have therefore been made compatible with those of the article to be stored or filed therein.

Although a preferred embodiment of theinvention is described herein as being for a single holder for one or more film strips, such a holder can be any article having length, breadth and thickness and can comprise one or more similar articles that can be inserted into and withdrawn from a compartment as a single unit. The term article is therefore means to include not only a single article, but also a number of similar articles arranged or combined as a unit.

Each of the tray modules 11 comprises a plate or floor 20 which is substantially rectangular in shape (FIG. 4). A rear wall 21 and a pair of side walls 22 extend from the top surface 23 of plate 20'. A plurality of partitions 24' extend from the rear wall 21 to the front edge 25 of plate 20 and are spaced from each other and from the side walls 22, the partitions 24 being substantially parallel to each other and to side walls 22 throughout their length.

Each tray module 11 is also provided with a transverse depression 28 which is parallel to the front edge 25 and has a cross-sectional shape that is best seen in FIG. 3. Adjacent the rear end of tray modules 11 a transverse ridge 29, see FIG. 3, extends between the side walls 22 and co-operates with the front edge 25 for supporting a holder 14 when it is inserted in one of the compartments in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The depression 28 extends across each compartment formed by partitions 24 and side walls 22 and is provided with two inclined surfaces 30 and 3 1, the latter being inclined at a steeper angle than the former. Also, the ridge 29 extends across each compartment formed by partitions 24 and side walls 22 and includes two inclined surfaces 32 and 33. These inclined surfaces 31 and 32 serve to direct and guide the leading end 19 of a holder 14 when it is inserted into a compartment 13.

As seen in FIG. 4, one of the partitions 24 is provided with a pair of bosses 34, each of which has a hole 35 for receiving one of the pins 36, which extend from the bottom surface 38 of each tray module 11, when the latter is positioned on and contiguous to another tray module. This hole and pin arrangement serves to locate one tray module relative to another prior to fastening them together. In order to provide means for securing a number of tray members together a plurality of bosses 40 are provided on opposite sides of at least a pair of partitions 24, see FIG. 4. Each of the bosses 40 is provided with a rectangular opening 41 which terminates in a larger rectangular opening 42 extending from the surface 38 of plate 20, see FIG. 3, for receiving a fastening member 43 as described hereinafter. The portion of the bosses 34 and 40 which face the front edge 25 are inclined toward their respective partition 24 so that the end 19 of a holder 14 cannot abut thereagainst upon insertion into one of the adjoining compartments.

The bottom surface 38 of plate 20 is provided with a continuous ledge 44 which is co-extensive with the Walls 21 and 22. The same surface of plate 20' is also provided with a pair of oppositely-arranged, U-shaped locating members 45 adjacent each side edge which serve to retain one or more modular units in position when stacked one on the other.

Cap member 12, see FIGS. 3 and 7, comprises a substantially rectangular plate 47 having a transverse depression 48 that is generally aligned with the depression 28 in the plate 20 when the cap 12 is positioned in an assembled relation to the uppermost tray module 11. The plate 47 is provided along its front edge 49 and spaced inwardly therefrom with a first group of spaced sections 50 that extend toward the rear edge and project above the plate 47. A second group of spaced sections 51 extend from the rear edge toward the depression 48. A third group of spaced sections 52 are arranged between and extend from the inner ends of the sections 51 to the depression 48. The plate 47 is also provided with a continuous ledge 53 that extends downwardly and around three sides thereof. The sections 50, 51 and 52 are arranged relative to the other three edges of the plate 47 so as to provide a supporting ledge 54 for receiving the ledge 44 on the lowermost tray module 11 of another modular unit that may be positioned thereon. Openings 55 are formed in plate 47 and sections 50 and 51 for receiving the fastening members 43, and pins 56 extend from the bottom surface of plate 47 in the same manner as described with respect to pins 36 on plate 20.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, a plurality of tray modules 11 are stacked one on the other with the ledges 44 overhanging the walls 21 and 22. When so arranged, the pins 36 engage the holes 35 and together with ledges 44 locate the tray modules relative to one another and also prevent any lateral or longitudinal movement of one tray member relative to another. A cap member 12 is then positioned in a similar manner on the uppermost tray module 11 and located by ledge 53 and pins 56 engaging the holes 35. Each of plates 20 encloses the compartments of the tray module 11 on which it rests and the cap member 12 encloses those of the uppermost tray module. When a number of tray modules 11 and a cap member 12 are arranged in this manner, each of the openings 41 in the bosses 40 and the openings in the cap member 12 are aligned for receiving a fastening member 43. The ends 61 of the fastening members 43 are then expanded into the openings. 42 in the lowermost tray module 11, as shown in FIG. 4, to clamp the tray modules 11 and cap member 12 together. It will be noted that the head 62 of each fastening member 43 is below the surface of sections 50 and 51 in cap member 12 and that the shank 63 passes through each of the tray modules 11.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the partitions 24 extends into the depression 28 and the upper edges at 57 substantially follow the bottom outline of the depression in the adjoining tray module so that the modules can be nested. Each of the partitions 24 that are aligned with members 45 is provided with a clearance notch 58. Since each tray module 11 is displaced in a longitudinal direction by the thickness of its ledge 44 engaging the outer surface of rear wall 21, the front faces 59 of partitions 24 are inclined at an angle so that when a number of tray modules 11 are in an assembled relation the front face 60 of the receptacle lies in an inclined plane.

With reference to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the distance (D1) from the top of ridge 29 to the top of a partition 24 is greater than the thickness of the holder 14. As a result, if a holder 14 were merely positioned in a compartment on a tray module 11, it would be supported between a portion of the front edge 25 and a portion of the ridge 29 that extends into the respective compartment. However, when the tray modules are in assembled relation, the distance (D2) from the surface of the plate 20 to the bottom of the depression 28 projecting into any compartment is less than the thickness of the holder 14 so that the depression 28 engages and bows the holder 14 toward the depression 28 immediately therebelow. When a holder 14 is inserted into one of the com-- partments, the inclined surface 31 guides the holder in a longitudinal direction and at the same time the depression 28 frictionally engages it and provides a drag which is increased when the end 19 engages and is moved up surface 32, thereby bowing the holder into a portion of the depression 28 which it spans. Consequently, the holder 14 cannot be inadvertently inserted with such a force that it rebounds from the rear wall 21, because part of the force is dissipated on striking either or both depression 28 and surface 31 and then on striking surface 32. Inasmuch as the uppermost tray module 11 provides a ridge 29 that co-operates with the depression 48 in the cap member 12, there is no need for the cap member to have a ridge similar to that in the tray modules.

When one or more modular units are set on each other, the U-shaped projections 45. extending from the surface 39 of plate engage the ends of outermost sections 51 and 52 on the cap member 12, see FIG. 7, to prevent any lateral or longitudinal sliding of one modular unit relative to the other. From the foregoing description, it can be readily appreciated that each tray module 11 provides a number of compartments 13 which are enclosed and become open-end compartments when another tray module 11 or a cap member 12 is positioned thereover with the plate 20 in engagement with the top edges of the walls 21 and 22 and the partitions24. The fastening members 43 can be made of any length to accommodate the number of tray modules that are to be used to form a modular unit.

When a number of modular units 10 are arranged in a stacked relation, the front faces 60 of the units lie in a plane that is inclined away from the user or operator so that the stack of such units could assume a form such that the articles in one or more of the uppermost units would not be conveniently available to the user. In order to limit the maximum horizontal displacement of the articles in the files from a vertical plane that is tangent to the front edge 25 of the lowermost tray module 11, a group of the upper units can be turned over so that the front faces 60 are then inclined toward the user. For example, assume that a group of six modular units are to be stacked. The three lower units are stacked as described above, and the fourth unit is turned over so the cap member 12 thereof rests on the cap member 12 of the third or uppermost unit. The fifth and sixth modular units are also turned over so their respective cap members 12 rest on the lower (now the upper) tray module 11 on which it is supported. The arrangement and location of the depressions 28 and 48 as well as of the sections 50, 51 and 52 and of the ledges 44 and 54 are such that this reversal can be effected to provide an interlocking group of files. With reference to FIGS. 3 and 7, when the three upper modular units are so positioned on one another, the front faces 64 of these units are inclined toward the user, so that the faces 60 of the six units form, in effect, a V-shaped front.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims. I

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A multiple-compartment receptacle for storing elongated strip-holders which are flexible along a longitudinal dimension, said receptacle comprising in combination:

a tray module comprising a plate having a front edge,

a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a plurality of parallel partitions spaced from each other and from said side edge walls by a distance greater than the width of said holders, said walls and partitions extending from one surface of said plate a distance greater than the thickness of said holder and said module being adapted for positioning in a contiguous relation with other similar modules so as to provide an array of compartments having open ends at said front edges thereof; and

means formed on the opposite surface of said plate 7 from said one surface for engaging and bowing along the longitudinal dimension, a strip-holder inserted into one of the compartments of a contiguous similar module so as to frictionally retain said stripholder in that compartment.

2. A multiple-compartment receptacle for storing a plurality of elongated strip-holders, comprising in combination:

a plurality of tray modules, each of which comprises a substantially rectangular plate having a front edge, a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a plurality of parallel partitions spaced from said side walls and from each other by a distance greater than the width of one of said strip-holders and extending from one surface of said plate a distance greater than the thickness of one of said strip-holders, said tray modules being positionable in an assembled relation contiguous to one another with the other surface of each plate engaging the walls and partitions of an adjoining tray module to provide an array of compartments having open ends at said front edge;

means for holding said plurality of tray modules in said assembled relation; and

means respectively formed on said other surfaces of the plates of said modules for bowing and frictionally engaging a strip-holder inserted into a compartment in the next contiguous module so as to retain said strip-holder in that compartment.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said means 25 for bowing and frictionally engaging said strip-holders comprises a transverse depression formed in the plate of each of said modules at a position inwardly from and parallel to the front edge thereof.

4. A multiple-compartment receptacle for storing discrete articles, comprising incombination:

(a) a tray module comprising a plate having a front edge, a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a plurality of parallel partitions spaced from each other and from said side edge walls by a distance greater than a first dimension of said article, said walls and partitions extending from one surface of said plate a distance greater than a second dimension of said article;

(b) a cap member positionable in an assembled relation on said tray module for engaging said walls and said partitions to provide an array of open-end compartments; and

(c) means for holding said tray module and said cap member in said assembled relation comprising at least two clamping members each of which has a head engaging said cap member, a shank passing through said cap member and said tray module and an end expansible into engagement with said tray module; and

(d) means disposed Within each of said compartments for frictionally engaging an article when the latter is inserted in one of said compartments and for frictionally retaining said article in its respective compartment.

5. A multiple-compartment receptacle for storing discrete articles, comprising in combination:

(a) a tray module comprising a plate having a front edge, a rear wall, a pair of side walls and a plurality of parallel partitions spaced from each other and from said side edge walls by a distance greater than a first dimension of said article, said walls and partitions extending from one surface of said plate a distance greater than a second dimension of said article;

(b) a cap member positionable in an assembled relation on said tray module for engaging said walls and said partitions to provide an array of open-end compartments;

(c) means for holding said tray module and said cap 0 member in said assembled relation; and

(d) means disposed within each of said compartments for frictionally engaging an article when the latter is inserted in one of said compartments comprising a transverse depression in each of said plate and 7 said cap member that are spaced inwardly from and parallel to the front edge of said plate, and a transverse ridge in said plate spaced inwardly from and parallel to said depression therein, said article being supported in its respective compartment by said ridge and said front edge and frictionally retained therein by said depression in said cap member bowing said article toward and into said depression in said plate.

extending from said rear edge wall to said front edge, said Walls and partitions extending from one surface of said plate a distance greater than a second dimension of said article and said tray modules being positionable contiguous to one another with the other surface of each plate engaging the walls and partitions of an adjoining tray module to provide an array of compartments having open ends at said front edge;

10 (b) a cap member having a front edge and being positionable in an assembled relation for enclosing said walls and partitions of the last of said contiguously positioned tray modules;

(c) means for holding said plurality of tray modules 6. A multiple-compartment receptacle for storing a plurality of discrete elongated articles, comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of tray modules, each of which comprises a substantially rectangular plate having a front edge, a rear edge wall, a pair of side edge walls (c) means for holding said plurality of tray modules and said cap member in said assembled relation comprising at least two clamping members each of which has a head engaging said cap member, a

and a plurality f parallel rti i spaced f and said cap member in said assembled relation; said side edge walls and from each other by a and distance greater than a first dimension of said article means disposed Within each of Said Compartments and extending from said rear edge wall to said front for ffictionally engaging an article when the te edge, said walls and partitions extending from one is inserted in one of Said Compartments comprising surface of said plate a distance greater than a second a transverse depiession in each Plate that is P dimension of said article and said tray modules being honed inwardly from and Parallel to Said from edge positionable contiguous to one another with the thereof, a transverse ridge in each P13t6 Positioned oth rf f h plate engaging th ll d inwardly from and parallel to said transverse deprespartitions f an adjoining tray d l to id sion, and a transverse depression in said cap member an array of compartments having open ends at said that is Positional inwardly from and Parallel to front edge; said front edge thereof and substantially aligned (b) a cap member h i a front d and b i with said transverse depressions in said plates, each positionable in an assembled relation for enclosing of Said articles being Supported between a Portion said walls and partitions of the last of said conof said from} edge of one of Said Plates and 3 P tiguously iti d tray d l tion of said transverse ridge extending into its respective compartment and being engaged by a portion of said transverse depression which projects into its respective compartment for bowing said article toward the transverse depression which it spans to frictionally retain said article in its respecshank passing through said cap member and said tive compartment.

tray modules, and an end expansible into engagement with the first of said contiguously positioned tray modules; and

(d) means disposed within each of said compartments References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS for frictionally engaging an article when the latter 1331862 2/1920 Claus X is inserted in one of said compartments and f r 1'666851 4/1928 Good u frictionally retaining said article in its respective 1681'953 8/1928 112111: X Compartment- 1,891,921 12/1932- Eckstein 312-257 X 7. A mult1ple-compartment receptacle for storing a 2555 332 6/1951 Grahn X plurality of discrete elongated rti l pr g in 3/1952 Simancii; 206.42 X combmatwnr 2,594,628 4/1952 Evans 22097 X (a) a plurality of tray modules, each of wh1ch com- 2 979 250 4/1961 Hobbs 22O 97 X prises a substantially rectangular plate having a front 3,003,839 10/1961 Bloom g; 2 97 X edge, a rear edge wall, a pair of side edge walls and a plurality of parallel partitions spaced from said BOBBY GAY Primary Examinen side edge walls and from each other by a distance greater than a first dimension of said article and KOHNEN, Amsmnt Exammer- 

2. A MULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT RECEPTACLE FOR STORING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED STRIP-HOLDERS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A PLURALITY OF TRAY MODULES, EACH OF WHICH COMPRISES A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR PLATE HAVING A FRONT EDGE, A REAR WALL, A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS AND A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL PARTITIONS SPACED FROM SAID SIDE WALLS AND FROM EACH OTHER BY A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF ONE OF SAID STRIP-HOLDERS AND EXTENDING FROM ONE SURFACE OF SAID PLATE A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE THICKNESS OF ONE OF SAID STRIP-HOLDERS, SAID TRAY MODULES BEING POSITIONABLE IN AN ASSEMBLED RELATION CONTIGUOUS TO ONE ANOTHER WITH THE OTHER SURFACE OF EACH PLATE ENGAGING THE WALLS AND PARTITIONS OF AN ADJOINING TRAY MODULE TO PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF COMPARTMENTS HAVING OPEN ENDS AT SAID FRONT EDGE; MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID PLURALITY OF TRAY MODULES IN SAID ASSEMBLED RELATION; AND MEANS RESPECTIVELY FORMED ON SAID OTHER SURFACES OF THE PLATES OF SAID MODULES FOR BOWING AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING THE STRIP-HOLDER INSERTED INTO A COMPARTMENT IN THE NEXT CINTIGUOUS MODULE SO AS TO RETAIN SAID STRIP-HOLDER IN THAT COMPARTMENT 